| 22 August 2004 | Sunday | 05 Rajab 1425 |
Doha round
All at sea
Musharraf's interview
Sacrilege of holy cities
'Bias against Al Jazeera'
Bank lockers
By-election turnout
US strike on Iran
Status of tribal areas
Zakat for beggars
Phone trouble
Violence unchecked
K. L. Saigal
'Our city'
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It was good to see the editorial (August 13) that looked into the plight of trainee doctors.
Doctors spend almost 35 years of their lives to become acceptable professionals. Five years of vigorous study in medical colleges are markedly different from education in other technical colleges; medical students spend long hours in the evening in hospitals as well. Postgraduation even in this country is expensive and tougher. Another aspect of their training is usually forgotten, i.e., first-hand care in any tertiary care hospital is solely provided by trainee doctors.
These doctors are fully qualified physicians and surgeons but are in various stages of gaining experience for various specialized procedures. Their decision-making and treatment procedures are thoroughly supervised. No other professional provides such valuable service to the public while acquiring higher education. No engineer designs any infrastructure for the government while studying at state cost.
In most teaching hospitals, which are at the same time tertiary care centres, responsibility for routine medical care is on trainee doctors. They spend long hours without claiming any overtime or stipend, as pointed out in your editorial. They are supposed to be in the hospital all the time, albeit without any decent living quarters. They are always at the risk of contracting deadly diseases from patients. So many able physicians and surgeons have beenlost, mostly unmourned and uncompensated for, in their line of duty.
When expensive vaccines are purchased, they are usually spent on VIPs, and these doctors are left as "not-entitled". If they can find some time for their food, the only edible available is usually some beans or chick peas from a nearby hawker. Long working hours, irregular and substandard food, peer pressure for latest knowledge, high expense of medical books, lack of good libraries and family pressure take their toll.
Depression among these doctors spirals when they look at their colleagues who were left behind in their earlier studies but now are high-fly bureaucrats or army officers. This is a complex world but expecting an unwell and overworked doctor to be pleasant to his patients is at least unrealistic. To add insult to injury, they are blamed for everything, from lack of cleanliness in the hospital to the non-availability of drugs and lab tests. N obody ever bothers to find out if this is the responsibility of doctors.
PIMS was supposed to be a centre of excellence. Civilian governments somehow managed to cater for its needs to some extent as all VIPs had to turn to PIMS in case of illness. Whenever the army took over, PIMS became an unwanted wasteland as the army has huge healthcare complexes in Rawalpindi.
Let's hope that the present government at least ensures availability of good healthcare.
DR OBAIDULLAH
Peshawar
Doha round
This is with reference to the article "Doha round relaunched" by Mr Shahid Javed Burki (August 10). He says the Geneva Convention has given mixed signs and it is difficult to pinpoint who the real winners of the negotiations are - the G9 or the rest of world. He thinks that a major victory for developed countries is the bringing down of trade barriers for manufactured goods by developing countries.
In Mr Burki's opinion, the game of international trade is still being played on an uneven ground, with the balance tilting in favour of the developed world. Though it would be unwise to argue otherwise, the wind is changing.
As developing countries gain influence and the relative power of developed countries declines, big game players like the US, the EU and Japan are being made to accept many demands that they would not have yielded to in the past. Further, the days of bullying by big players are long gone and groups like G-20 and G-90 have put their foot down.
In recent past, the EU was made to eliminate export subsidies, the US was coerced into removing export credits, Canada was compelled to do away with its state trading organization and deeper cuts were made in domestic subsidies by rich countries. Even the poorest nations being represented by G-90 are able to cut a deal with America, which was previously unacceptable to the US and led to the collapse of Cancun.
I am not at all suggesting that the WTO has gone in favour of developing and underdeveloped countries. What I am suggesting is that rich countries are losing the influence they once had, and that the vacuum is fast being filled by developing countries like China, India, Brazil and South Africa. This is good news for developing countries because now policies that benefit both developed and developing countries are being implemented.
OMER MAJEED
Lahore
All at sea
I am a seafarer and serving as a master on foreign-flagged container vessels. Recently my company commenced a liner service which includes US ports of call and consequently all employees, irrespective of their nationalities, were instructed to get multiple entry (C1D) category visas endorsed on their passports since without a valid visa the US authorities enforce heavy fines on the ship owners.
As such I applied for the visa through the drop box facility of a local courier company towards the end of April this year. On June 21 I was called to the US embassy in Islamabad for an interview. The visa officer who interviewed me told me to let the embassy keep my passport and seaman's book and that a visa would be issued within a period of four to six weeks after which the documents would be sent back to me.
The security clearance from the US was received on July 7 (which is what the embassy told me via a telephone call) but the visa still hasn't been endorsed. Via email the embassy then told me that I should wait pending additional screening for which no time frame is specified.
It is imperative for me to go out to sea to earn a living for myself and my family. I informed my employers accordingly who promptly advised me to get my documents back from the embassy so that I could join a ship set to sail from Karachi on August 21. Upon getting through to the US embassy by telephone (which is not easy) I was told that my documents were untraceable and that it would take an unspecified amount of time before I would have them back again.
I find this extremely distressing and I wonder if there is anybody at all who can help me get my documents back -with or without a visa.
CAPT. A. N. SIDDIQUI
Master Mariner F.G. Passport No. K071543 Seaman's Bk No. K/O 5787 Karachi
Musharraf's interview
Having read President General Pervez Musharraf's interview (Dawn, August 5), I think he should have been asked the following questions as well:
1. Why is he reluctant to establish presidential form of government when the parliamentary system has failed to serve the people, and when the prime minister has been just a dummy?
2. Why has he failed to implement the seven-point agenda he declared after the take over in October 1999?
3. Why is acrimony among the provinces increasing day by day?
4. How long does General Musharraf intend to rule the country?
5. Is his government not responsible for the death of two Pakistani workers in Iraq?
6. Why does the government not have a clear-cut Kashmir policy, and does it want independence for the Kashmiris or their merger with Pakistan?
6. What does General Musharraf mean by national interest?
7. How can people understand or follow his doctrine of 'enlightened moderation' unless they get educated?
8. Why is the government functioning under his command not taking full responsibility for providing free education to poor children?
9. How will Pakistanis be respected among civilized nations without real democracy?
10. Why were politicians whose reputation was not above board allowed to participate in Elections 2002?
11. Why is accountability not done across the board and why are the judiciary and armed forces excluded from accountability?
12. When will the rule of law be established in Pakistan, and when will respect for the constitution prevail?
ENGR. S.T. HUSSAIN
Lahore
Sacrilege of holy cities
During World War II, the Allies (US and Britain) invaded Italy by landing on two beaches in southern Italy. The German resistance was fierce and the Allies gradually started advancing northwards. It was feared that Rome which was in the way of the Allies advance might be severely damaged or destroyed in forthcoming battles. Rome having the Vatican in its midst is considered a holy city by the Catholics and with its ancient history of being the capital of the Roman Empire is also called the Eternal City. It also has a special position in European history and civilization. Damage to or destruction of this city was, therefore, unthinkable.
Thus, in spite of the desperate battles being waged in Italy and elsewhere, the Allies declared Rome as an open city, thereby voluntarily abstaining from taking the fighting to this city and its environments.
Now the same allies, the United States and Britain, have felt no regard for the Muslim holy city of Najaf where fierce battles were raging till Friday. Why could the differences with Moqtada al Sadr not be resolved through negotiations, thereby avoiding this sacrilege? Is this the regard they show for the holy places of other faiths and yet call themselves civilized?
I urge them to follow the same standards for Najaf as they did for Rome and immediately cease fighting.
S.Z. HASNAIN
Karachi
'Bias against Al Jazeera'
The editorial "Bias against Al Jazeera" (July 29) describes the decision by America's Democratic Party to remove the Al Jazeera banner from the main hall in which the party's recent national convention took place, as "a good example of discrimination and double standards in American politics".
The Democratic Party is not the government; it is just a political party. It has the right, especially during an election year, to distance itself from an organization towards which the American public has developed an aversion; in a democracy, the public is always right.
You have mentioned that Al Jazeera "has not had an altogether pleasant experience of working" in the US because "it has been publicly criticized for having an anti-US agenda". Since when has public criticism been a bane in the media world?
How many times have the western media, in general, and the American media, in particular, been accused of harbouring an anti-Muslim agenda? Does this mean that these media are having an unpleasant experience of covering the Muslim world? Differing perceptions and points of view constitute the air that the world of free press and media breathes.
You have stated that Al Jazeera's "correspondents have been rebuked during news conferences by US military spokesmen and its reporters have been denied access to the New York Stock Exchange". The main question is whether these correspondents were denied access to military press conferences.
Hot exchanges between reporters and presenters of information at a press conference (especially in a tense situation) are not unusual. Even press briefings at the White House are not immune to this phenomenon. Moreover, any organization (provided that it does not represent the government) like the New York Stock Exchange has the right to deny admission to anyone.
The editorial's statement that Arabs and Muslims "can never expect to get a fair deal from America" is unfair and inaccurate. Fairness is America's middle name.
SIDDIQUE MALIK
Louisville, KY., USA
Bank lockers
Lockers are usually hired in various banks in Karachi and other cities. However, apart from the annual rent (Rs1,000), an amount of Rs3,000 or so is taken by the bank as safe custody of the locker key. This amount is returned when the locker is vacated and its key returned to the bank - without any sort of compensation. It means that a person who has hired a locker for 10 years has his amount of Rs3,000 locked for 10 years without any compensation.
This is not reasonable. The bank should either compensate for keeping Rs3,000 for 10 years and making use of it or reduce the amount to say Rs300 or less. If the key of the locker is lost, a fine of Rs100 may be imposed.
S.M. BUKHARI
Karachi
By-election turnout
The question of voter turnout is that of primary school arithmetic and the answer should await the outcome of vote count at the end of the day.
Empty ballot boxes are sealed and votes cast and counted in the presence of polling agents of all candidates at polling stations. The signed sheets are then added up by the returning officers in the presence, again, of the candidates or their agents. Copies of these sheets are available to all concerned and they form the basis of calculating the voter turnout against the total number of votes in a constituency by simple arithmetic.
Therefore, unless there is a credible charge of ballot-box stuffing, it would be highly unfair for impartial media and other bodies to issue judgments on voter turnout on the basis of visual impression, in these circumstances, unless someone has done complete head count the whole day through at every polling station in a constituency.
These off-the-cuff pronouncements could only lend credence to insinuations or motivated comments which may not, otherwise, be backed by truth.
ARSHAD ZAMAN
Islamabad
US strike on Iran
This is with reference to the statement by the US National Security Adviser, Ms Condeleezza Rice (Dawn, Aug 9), about the American intention to resort to covert operations and, if necessary, a surgical strike against Iran in order to arrest that country's nuclear programme.
Now they want to take on Iran. The Muslim world is already deeply disturbed and distressed because of the events in Iraq and Palestine. Any covert or overt action by any country against Iran will precipitate a situation which will cause a serious blow to moderation and moderately thinking people everywhere in the world, but more so in the Islamic world.
If extremism in all its forms and manifestation is required to be eliminated, whether it is by the Zionists in Palestine or by some religious groups in Pakistan, then fair and just policies will have to be adopted by those who think they rule this world. Unlawful and excessive use of force will breed more extremism.
BRIG (retd) K.H. MAHMOOD
Karachi
Status of tribal areas
I am sure it is accepted that Wana, Waziristan and other tribal areas are part of Pakistan. There is, therefore, no justification for private armies in these areas that challenge the legitimate armed forces of Pakistan.
The Muttahida Majlis-i-Amal and their cohorts should declare their allegiance to Pakistan and not to foreign nationals whose objective is to destabilize the state of Pakistan. The jurisdiction of Pakistan and its institutions must be paramount in all parts of the country.
NASRULLAH KHAN MOGHAL
Manchester, UK
Zakat for beggars
A large amount is collected in zakat every year. Despite that the numbers of those begging on the streets seems to be growing every year.
It is suggested that steps should be taken to provide some of the zakat money to these beggars so that they can get support get back on their own feet.
AZIZ UR REHMAN MIAN
Karachi
Phone trouble
We are running a cotton ginning factory which is around 10 miles from Chichawatni and 20 miles or so from Sahiwal on the main G.T. Road.
We have two telephone lines - the numbers are (0441) 315322 and 315323. Most of our business transactions are done by telephone. Both the lines of late have lately been acting in a very funny way. They remain operational hardly for a couple of days. If one is working, the other does not and vice-versa, and sometimes both don't work. And if the numbers do work, there is a lot of noise in the background and crossed lines.
We have complained several times from everyone to the PTCL general manager of the area, to the deputy general manager, to the divisional engineer and the supervisor. All we have got so far are empty promises. After each complaint the line is fixed but only temporarily.
MASOOD ARIF
Grain Market Chichawatni
Violence unchecked
Karachi has been hit hard by violence in the recent past. Unfortunately, the role of the intelligence agencies has left much to be desired, given that attacks keep on happening with alarming regularity. In Larkana, a well-known trader was kidnapped weeks ago but apart from suspending a police officer the government has not done much else.
The government is requested to take measures to improve the working of its intelligence and law-enforcement agencies so that citizens can feel safer.
SHER MUHAMMAD KOLACHI
Jamshoro
K. L. Saigal
This is with reference to Syed Nematullah's excellent biographical sketch of K. L. Saigal which appeared in the Images section of Dawn (August 8) on the occasion of the maestro's 100th birth anniversary. However, I would like to point out the following correction.
Regarding Karwan-i-Hayat this film was from his Devdas days. The gramophone records of one of the film's popular songs were available during the mid-1930s. The film, therefore, was not produced during 1941.
AFTAB AHMED
Santa Clara, CA., USA
'Our city'
The Sindh chief minister says Karachi is the Pakistan Muslim League's city. The Muttahida Qaumi Movement claims the same for its party and the Muttahida Majlis-i-Amal leaders say it is their city.
Why shouldn't all the citizens of Karachi say it is our city? This may well resolve a number of problems of this unfortunate city.
MUSHTAQ AHMED MEMON
Karachi
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